Misery Loves Company
by rubyberry
Summary: Ariadne and Arthur have a melancholy coffee date.  Post-movie.  Hinted Arthur x Ariadne x Cobbs.  ONESHOT


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**Ariadne**

It's been two weeks, and I - I just don't even know what I'm doing. Eating breakfast, calling a taxi, talking to people, being in class... Nothing feels real anymore. And I know that it's normal to experience these withdrawal symptoms, but I keep expecting this weird feeling to fade a little everyday at least... and it's not.

I'm looking out the window and of course I'm thinking the same thought again.

How is _he _doing?

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**Arthur**

After every job's over, life is boring as hell. Not that it's so bad, 'cause boring could also feel peaceful. But this time, probably because it was our first inception job in a long time, it didn't feel peaceful. Not to me.

It's also probably because of Cobbs.

Since he's not coming back, I don't know when the next job is or if there's even gonna be a job. Cobbs was the guy who called the shots, you know? But he's home sweet home with his little kids now. He doesn't need the dream world anymore.

Shit, I think I'm actually lonely.

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**Ariadne**

On a rainy Thursday, ten o'clock at night, I get a call from a number I don't recognize.

"Hello?"

No reply, just noisy traffic sounds in the background. "It's me," the voice speaks right before I'm about to hang up.

I almost drop the phone. "What? You're - Arthur?"

"Already forgotten me?" That's his tone of light sarcasm, alright. "I'm in Paris. Why don't we meet up?"

"Where?" I ask. He gives me an address and we hang up. That's when I realize that a saner person would have asked _why_. I mean, this is so out of the blue... unless there's another assignment.

I yank on my jacket and run out the door.

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**Arthur**

She still looks the same. Already I'm glad that I called her.

"How've you been?" I say, as the waitress leaves with our orders.

"You know... pretty bad, actually." Her honesty has always impressed me. "What about you?"

"Exactly like you said."

We sit staring at each other for a moment, silent understanding passing between us. "Is there a new job?" she finally asks.

Her hopeful face is hard to look at. I know what she wants to hear - it's something I want to hear, too - except I can't give it.

"No. Cobbs was the extractor and he's probably..."

She shakes her head. "Oh no, it's okay. I understand." The waitress comes back and sets down our coffee. Ariadne waits, watching her leave, before saying softly, "He's finally happy, right?"

"He's home. And he has his children now." _If he hasn't contacted us, I'm betting he's closer to happiness than we are._

"Yeah." Ariadne is looking at me but not seeing me. "Good for him."

That's when I realize she's in love with Cobbs.

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**Ariadne**

That's great, it really is. Cobbs has his life back now. He's not in pain over Mal anymore. He's free.

I'm happy for him. I am.

Arthur's coffee cup clinks as he puts it down, and that's when I notice how long it's been since any of us said anything.

"Um, so..." I search my mind for something to talk about, but instead a question slips out. "Why did you want to see me?" I want to slap myself. "No, I - I'm glad you did. It's not that I didn't want to see you. I mean..."

To my surprise, he just smiles. "I don't know why, either. Guess I wanted to see a familiar face."

The empty, glazed look in his eyes is oddly familiar. It's what I see in mine everytime I look in a mirror. "You haven't talked to anyone else? Eames, Yusuf? Saito?"

"You're the first."

"Oh." I can't help but wonder if he's had it worse than me this past month. At least I see Professor Miles at school. Not that the old man has said anything about dream-building to me except to tell me I should try to forget about it. For now.

"Do you think... we'll ever get together again?" I muster the courage to ask.

"You're hooked, huh." He crooks another smile, but it's not mocking. "I don't know. Wish I did, though."

His smile is sad, and with the rain pouring outside and the diner quiet and near-empty, I should be feeling more depressed.

Yet for some reason, I smile back for real.

Misery loves company.

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**Arthur**

I'm not going to lie. It's nice sitting here, seeing her smile once in a while. But it does get awkward not having much to say.

We can chat about our lives right now, but it's obvious that neither of us really have lives.

We can reminisce about Inception, but that just makes reality a bigger pain in the ass to put up with later.

We can talk about how much we both miss Cobbs, but -

Ok, that just killed it for me.

"We should go." I stand up, and she does, too, slowly.

"You don't have to pay..." she begins.

"It's time I put Saito's thank-you cash to some use." I toss some bills on the table, not bothering to count. Our waitress just had her lucky day.

Ariadne takes her jacket and follows me to the door. The rain is only drizzling now.

"So what's your plan?" asks Ariadne, watching the cars zoom past. I don't know if she's also thinking of a similar rainy scene with a busy street, like me.

"I'll catch a train back to London. The station is close, I can walk. You live far?"

"Not that far. I'll just take the bus," she shrugs.

Neither of us say anything. I swear, we can't hold a conversation for two minutes without having an awkward pause come in.

"Bye, then," I say, clearing my throat. "Great to see you again."

I turn around, but to my surprise she reaches over and grabs my arm. Her grip wasn't tight, but it was firm.

"Let's meet up again sometime," she says. And in her eyes I can make out a little eagerness and a little desperation.

I know that it isn't me she wants to see again, but just a leftover connection to Inception, the dream world, and Cobbs.

Still, I say, "Sure."

She grins wide, relief seeping down her face like a waterfall. "Okay. Bye, Arthur."

Before she releases me, she leans over and touches her lips lightly to mine.

"Payback for last time." Still smiling, she waves and walks away.


End file.
